Theodicy,Disability,and Fragility: An Attempt to Find Meaning in the Aftermath of Quadriplegia

Abstract

This article, weighing the implications of theodicy for the experience of disability, first delineates the problem of most theodicies, namely, their focus on primary causation and their failure to attend to secondary causes; the laws of nature inherent to the evolution of life. It then explores various ways Christology and the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love can imbue suffering with meaning, and so help people flourish in the context of disability and loss.